After her first-place win at MAFA State Championships, debater Whitney Hart thought she might be a “contender” for a national title. She was right.

Placing second in the nation in the Lincoln-Douglas Open Championships last weekend, Hart, a senior political science major, will compete in the National Forensic Association Championships this weekend.

Kelly Larson, director of forensics, has high hopes for Hart and the rest of the team.

“As we head to NFA she’s one of the four or five debaters who has a chance to win the national title,” he said.

Missouri Southern’s debate team also took the LDOC first place sweepstakes trophy.

Hart, said her coaches support along with that of her friends and family has helped make her successful.

“He gives me a lot of confidence,” she said. “He encourages me and tells me be to go out and do what you’re good at.”

Though Hart expected to make it to quarterfinals, she wasn’t surprised at doing well.

“I’ve spent a lot of time doing a lot of research over the past few weeks and been a lot more dedicated to it the past couple of weeks than I have lately,” she said. “This was one of the first tournaments that I felt like I was actually prepared for it, I went in and I knew exactly what was going on.”

After a semester spent interning for the Speaker of the Missouri House, taking classes and researching for debates, Hart said she is ready to go out with a bang.

“I’ll be completely ready to retire at the end of the year,” she said. “It’s been getting crazy, session has been completely insane, but I allocate my time the way I think I need to.

“It doesn’t feel like work.”